


Breaking Barriers

by TanninTele (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (but also a cutie), Abused! Frisk, Abused! Harry, Also known as 'Ches', Also known as 'Driad', But he's a good brother, Chara Possessing Frisk, Claustrophobia, Daredevil! Frisk, F/F, F/M, Flowey is pissed off, Flowey thinks Harry's a nusiance, Frisk is Francesca Lillian Potter, Frisk was born first, Harry Has Issues, Harry and Frisk are twins, Harry is Hadrian James Potter, Harry's freaked out, His scar can sense dark magic, M/M, Multi, Other, Papyrus dates Frisk, Protective! Frisk, Protective! Sans, Sans Has Issues, Sans thinks Harry's a cutie, Sarcastic! Frisk, Sarcastic! Harry, Smart! Harry, Social Anxiety, The twins are ten, They were raised in an orphanage, Undertale Neutral Route, Undertale Pacifist Route, although she doesn't remember it, but Harry is the Chosen One, but strangely intrigued, but thinks Harry's a cutie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:16:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7559749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/TanninTele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raised in an orphanage near Mt. Ebott, Potter twins Francesca and Hadrian are complete opposites; Ches is popular, reckless and fiercely loyal, while Harry is...just Harry. </p><p>At the age of ten, a single dare leads Ches and Harry on a fool-hardy trek up Mt. Ebott during a thunderstorm. As Fate would have it, the two - naturally -  fall into Mt. Ebott and journey their way through a hidden world where flowers are evil, monsters are (mostly) good, LOVE is bad, and determination can be wielded as a weapon.</p><p>Armed with their own form of love, can the dysfunctional Potter twins find a way to break the barrier without loosing their Souls, and perhaps gain a few (more than) friends in the progress?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Peony

 

**Breaking Barriers:**

By Tannin & Tele

* * *

  _Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and the creators of UNDERTALE, voiding that of original content and characters._

* * *

 **Prompt:** Peony,

 meaning; _shame, bashfulness, honor, masculinity_  and _bravery._

* * *

**I:**

“S-slow down, Ches!” a timid voice broke out over the harsh bellow of the wind. “I can’t keep up!”

A small figure pushed it’s way through foliage and mud, slipping on wet sludge as rain pounded on his back. The skies were grey, lightning crackling threateningly close as the brief flash of light revealing a dirt-smudged face, bright green eyes and messy black hair.

A pale hand was clasped over a bare forearm where he had caught his sleeve climbing over the barbed-wire fence.  While he had untangled himself, his sister had just _stood_ there on the other side of the fence - the _forbidden_ side - and giggled at his misfortune. The boy also favored his left leg, having sworn he heard a crack after slipping over a rocky ridge and landing harshly on his knees.

It was about then (while he was writhing on the muddy grass in pain) that he and Ches had been separated. His sister, who had selective hearing at the best of time, was also unable to hear his calls over the raging storm.

Slipping over a patch of mud, he raised an arm over his head in an attempt to see through the downpour. Sniffing lightly, the boy called out again, scared and unsure.

But nobody answered. 

Lightning flashed again. Letting out a surprised shriek, the boy lost his balance and fell hard into the mud. As his wire-rimmed glasses flew off his nose, he made a noise of disgust as he felt water soaking into his trousers and over-sized sweater. The scant warmth gained from his frayed woolen sweater had been all but leeched away, the useless material heavy and scratchy against his skin.

After several long moments, the boy squinted up into the rain and let out a long sigh of resignation, pushing himself painfully to his knees and feeling around the wet grass for his spectacles. Finally grasping hold of cold metal, he lifted the glasses and attempted to brush away the sludge with equally dirty fingers.

The boy grimaced as he saw a starburst crack in the right lens and he tentatively re-wrapped the sellotape around the bridge. Slipping the broken glasses onto his nose, he moved to his feet and stared wistfully back at the bottom of the summit. Blurry lights glowed from the village where he and his sister lived, and the distant metropolis was illuminated by it's tall sky-scrapers and radio towers. 

Tearing his eyes away, the boy hugged himself tightly and surveyed the area for any sign of his twin. He had a few  _choice_ words for the manipulating little - Harry sighed. 

Not long after they were abandoned by their 'loving' relatives at the orphanage five years ago, Francesca had taken up a nasty habit of taking up on the other orphan’s rash dares in an attempt to 'prove' herself. Climbing trees, trespassing farms, skinny-dipping with the older boys, breaking into the school and shoplifting from the nearby convenience store were the _least_ dangerous things she'd attempted thus far. 

Well, after the ideals the Dursley's had impended on the twins, it made sense physiologically that Ches would look for attention and assurance of her worth...but, honestly, it was _just_ like Ches to drag her brother along, only to abandon him without a word. Why she brought him along in the first place, he didn't know, but now he was stuck on the horrifically large Mt. Ebott in the middle of a thunderstorm, alone, half-blind, injured and thoroughly irritated.

Francesca was _so_ going to get it when they found each other... _if_ she ever came back.

Scowling darkly, the boy hobbled his way toward a mossy, wet boulder and plopped himself down, hoping he didn’t get hypothermia from sitting in the cold. The rain had finally began to taper off, but a permeating chill remained, a steady reminder of the colder seasons approaching.

His view of the village was clearer now, and if he squinted, he could just see the old clock tower looming over the orphanage. The building was stout and ugly, made of old brick, cracking mortar and crushed hopes and dreams. Thorny vines climbed up the side, burrowing its way through the cracks and somehow infiltrating the venting system, causing an ever-present stench of dirt and earth.

The orphanage was separated by age rather than gender, meaning that he and his sister shared a ‘room’ with five other eight-to-twelve year olds. Their roommates weren't exactly  _kind_ to the youngest Potter twin, often playing tricks on him and teasing him as he got dressed...but the older children weren’t much better.

The older boys (Ches was the oldest girl there), Jorge, Robert, Kent, Nikolas and Samuel had a tendency to single him out in a crowd, chase him about the courtyard and rip up his books. He’d been beaten to a pulp a fair few times too, but less and less as he got older and his sister learned how to punch.

Ches - or, rather Frisk, as the older kids nicknamed her - was one of the more popular children at the orphanage, mostly because she gained the respect of the thirteen-to-seventeen year olds by knocking out their toughest man when he had tried to put a hand up her skirt.  No one but Ches, her brother and Robert Yield know how she threw Robbie into a wall and cracked his skull without touching him _once._ And Robbie can't remember much now, anyways.

The older kids liked to separate the brother and sister duo, bringing Ches to their ‘cool spots’ and leaving her brother with the kiddies. Ches sometimes refused, but lately, she had been spending less time with her brother and more with the older orphans. Her brother didn’t blame her for it; Ches was too bright to be stifled by his presence, but that didn’t mean it didn’t _hurt_ to be left behind.

Ches was like the Sun, so bright that it burnedto look at her. She was clever, courageous, a bit foolish and small-minded at times, but tougher than your average girl. Her brother was amazed that after all that had occurred in Privet Drive, Ches could be so vibrant.

Unlike him; Hadrian  - like the Moon - was quiet and unassuming, hiding during the day but shining like a beacon when no one seemed to be looking. 

Resemblance to celestial objects aside, they were still just kids, and the caretakers would be _so_ pissed when they realized Francesca had dragged her powerless ‘younger’ brother into one of her hapless adventures... _again._

Kneading his forehead in irritation, Harry brushed against his lightning-bolt scar, causing a great flare of pain. Gasping, he pulled his hand away to find his fingers caked with crisp red blood, contrasting darkly against pale skin.

Harry - who typically suffered from chronic headaches due to anxiety - was rather used to ignoring pain. Tonight, however, was different. The boy could no longer ignore the burning throb in his skull that made his nerves sizzle and his muscles tense.

It only got worse as he hiked father up the mountain, and Harry figured it had something to do with air pressure. Suddenly, Harry jerked his head toward the mountain as a feminine voice called out.

He jolted from his seat as he spotted his sister bounding towards him, grinning madly. He couldn't help but frown at the sight. Her clothes and rain-boots were soaked with mud and her chestnut hair hung damp around brightly flushed cheeks, although her hazel eyes were sparkling with excitement. 

Harry and his twin didn’t look much alike, him with sharp features and Ches with round. Harry was short and pale, while Ches had sprouted like a weed that summer, muscles taut beneath tanned skin. They did have some similar features, although that just made Harry seem effeminate. 

As Ches came closer ro her brother and saw the blood caked across his clothes, her smile slowly faded into a dark frown. “What happened to your glasses and your leg? You’re limping,” she asked, flicking the fringe from her eyes. 

Hobbling over to Ches, Harry spoke dryly, not wanting to admit how pleased he was at her concern. “Nature dislikes me, and I’m not too fond of it, either.” 

Ches snorted in amusement, before stooping down and grasping a fallen branch. Snapping off the sharp bits, she made her brother a makeshift cane, handing it to him with a grin. “Don’t worry, little brother.” Harry scowled at her words. “I’ll protect you from the big, scary mountain.” 

Taking up the cane, he prodded his sister in the foot. Hard. “Is leaving me alone to bloody _die_ what you call protecting me? It frightened me when I couldn’t find you," he admitted softly, looking down. 

Ches turned her head away, blocking her shameful expression. “You’re frightened by your own damned shadow, Harry,” she said shrewdly, gesturing vaguely towards a large patch of foggy, dark landscape “Now, hurry up. I found a path to the peak. I think the rain is going to start up again soon- ”

Harry groaned loudly, and irritation flashed on Ches' face. “For God's sake-unless you'd like to find your way back down the mountain _alone,_ you'll stop complaining and get your arse moving. God knows why I bring you along on these things," she muttered. 

“I don’t know why, either,” Harry grumbled, but followed her none-the-less. What else could he possibly do? Despite Ches’ confidence and attitude, she isn’t invincible. She might be a bit tougher than him, true, but Harry couldn't just  _leave_ her - 

 _Like she left you?_ A wicked voice asked in his head. Harry frowned to himself and dragged his feet the entire way up, the air turning chilly as they reached the topmost summit. It was then that things started to go wrong.  

* * *

Despite the danger of Mt. Ebott, Ches found herself sing a warbling tune - or, rather, attempting too. Completely tone-deaf, it was an old folk song she chose to bastardize, and Harry was having none of it.  

“If you don’t stop that racket, I’m going to bash you over the head with my cane and leave you for the wolves,” he warned, waving the stick threateningly.

Ches smirked with vindictive humor. “Don’t be silly,” she dismissed. “There aren’t any wolves on Mt. Ebott. Now, mountain lions, perhaps -”

Harry stared at her in horror. “It was just an expression!” he cried out defensively, ducking down as Ches leaned over him and snatched up his cane.

Caught off balance, Harry nearly capsized on his bad leg. Crying out, he slipped down the summit, just catching himself on a vine. Breathing hard, Harry glanced downwards and went deathly pale. “Whoa,” he murmured breathlessly as Ches pulled him to his feet. “We’re...we’re really far up,” Harry said nervously, rubbing his forehead anxiously. 

“Scared, Potter?” Ches smirked, although hesitance blossomed in her eyes.

She hadn't meant for him to fall, although he probably would've tripped on his own eventually. But with this weather brewing, it became clear that perhaps climbing the mountain wasn't her best idea. And, who knew; although unlikely, maybe there _were_ mountain lions on Mt. Ebott. 

Twiddling briefly with a piece of chin-length hair, she sighed softly and jerked her head upwards.  “Come on Harry, it’s not that bad,” she said, mostly in an attempt to console herself. Ches grabbed her brother’s arm none-too-gently and dragged him up the incline. “Only a bit more to go - oh, look! There’s the top!”

Using her hands and feet, Ches scrambled up the peak, completely forgetting the last of her uncertainty. Harry just stared at his seemingly fearless sibling, before sighing in frustration and tossing his cane across. “Careful with that, you twat!” Ches called out as it bumped her leg.

Wary of his injury, Harry carefully crawled over the ledge and landed clumsily beside his sister. The change was almost immediate. Harry clutched his head in surprise as it throbbed violently, his scar burning with a dark malice. The ground beneath his feet pulsed in tandem with his skull, feeling almost _alive_. Harry felt lethargic and hollow, sucking in breath after breath as he resisted falling to his knees.

Ignorant of her brother’s plight and unaware of the pure _danger_ this mountain emanated, Ches stood at the edge of the volcanic-like chasm, looking down in clear interest.

“I wonder how far down it goes,” she mused, stooping down to grab a small pebble. As she dropped the stone, the two listened for the tell-tale clatter of it hitting the bottom...but none came. Ches was impressed. “Deep,” she whistled. “One hell of a drop if one of us fell, I’m sure,” she said slyly, glancing over at her twin.

Harry had slid down to rest against a boulder, looking haggard, pale and horrified. He forced his gaze away from the long drop, his brow furrowing at the dark, clouded skies. “I think it’s going to rain again soon,” he warned, voice quivering slightly. “We’ve come, we’ve seen - time to go back down now, Francesca!”

His sister snorted loudly, but acquiesced, digging into her pants pocket. “Yeah, yeah, don’t get your panties in a twist. Just let me finish up here, please. Jorge let me borrow his camera to snap some pictures; proof that I actually _accomplished_ the hike, and didn’t let you talk me out of it,” she teased. Ches pulled out a cheap yellow camera and wrapped the plastic strap loosely about her wrist.

Harry nearly had a heart attack as Ches craned over the edge. Peering down, she snapped a few pictures of the chasm, looking satisfied with herself. Harry didn’t see the point - the flash was a wimpy little thing, and it was far too dark to really see anything.

As Ches leaned back to take a snapshot of the summit, thunder crashed loudly above their heads.

Harry jerked violently in surprise and even Ches was affected, startled enough to lose her usually immaculate balance. She swore as the camera slipped from her grasp. Grumbling, Ches leaned back over the chasm and let out a breath of relief, seeing that the strap had snagged onto a convenient branch sticking out a few feet from the edge.

As the eldest twin went to her knees, Harry stared up at the darkening sky to see thick thunderclouds rolling in from the west.

“Jorge is going to be _so_ pissed,” Ches muttered, reaching into the chasm. Harry surged to his feet as it started to rain, the wind whipping around their heads and picking up dirt. He didn't understand why his sister couldn't see it! Something about this mountain was just _not natural._

Harry grabbed his cane and called out to his sister, lifting a hand to shield his vision. “Let's go! It’s not worth it!” Harry yelled, but Ches paid him no mind. 

The girl gave out a cry of victory as she grasped the camera, turning to give her brother a triumphant grin. Just then, lightning sliced down from the sky, blinding the twins’ vision and taking out a chunk of rock just a few yards from where the Potter siblings were precariously perched.

The air sizzled with electricity and Harry was the first to recover, pressing his fingers to a steadily bleeding lightning-bolt scar. Chest filling with a growing sense of horror, he got a Very Bad Feeling. “We need to go!” Harry cried, snapping Ches out of her shocked daze.

On shaky feet, Ches rose quickly and cried out as her feet slipped. Breathing heavily, Ches watched in horror as the camera fell again, disappearing into the darkness.  “ _Ches!_ ” Harry screamed as lightning filled their vision once more. Rain pounded onto their backs, slicking their fingers and the soles of their boots.

Ches’ feeble grasp on the edge of the hole worsened, fingers scrambling for purchase. Feeling her feet slip further and further, Ches just barely dug her toes into the uneven wall of stone, growling in frustration. “Here!” Harry yelled from above, swinging down his make-shift cane. “I’ll pull you up,” he said, green eyes blazing with a chaotic mixture of fear and determination.

Ches was dubious of her brother’s strength, but attached herself to the wood, propping up her feet. Harry’s knuckles went white as he fruitlessly tried to drag his sister out, but an enormous shudder of the sky erased all progress they’d made. Hands already wet, Ches slipped off the cane, horror-filled eyes meeting her brother’s once more before she fell. Their momentum unbalanced, Harry soon went down with her, crying out as the pain in his head escalated. 

* * *

Blessfully, Ches had blacked out in fear, her body free-falling limply through the air. A bit more vocal at the moment, Harry’s blood-curdling screams echoed through the mountain, muffled by the returning storm. The boy could see nothing but droplets of falling water, dirt, the occasional flash of red-brown hair and a never-ending darkness beneath him. 

The wind howling menacingly in his ear, Harry’s screams were cut short as the youngest Potter twin slammed sharply against the mountain side, vision instantly going black. 

He wasn’t awake when he crossed the incredibly Dark barrier blocking humans from the shunned monsters, but the pounding in his head faded almost immediately, his lightning-bolt scar sparking once more before it's vibrant red hue faded to a dull pink.

As if by magic, their descent was slowed, and the two humans landed almost peacefully onto a bed of golden-yellow gorse flowers.

Ches landed first, her hair spread about her head in a halo of bronze. Harry settled beside her, the bleeding gash on his skull covered by wind-blown black hair. Long eyelashes fluttered briefly to reveal hazed green eyes before the boy returned to his slumber, head resting peacefully upon his sister’s flat stomach. It was odd that, despite the blood, the dirt and the dampness, the two siblings were for once completely at peace, arms curved to comfort each other even in sleep.

Distinctly reminded of two other siblings - one a human and the other a monster - Flowey was absolutely disgusted with the sight. He watched from a darkened corner as the smaller child shifted, torn sweater shifting upwards to reveal a patch of his pale, smooth skin, darkened with human blood. 

Watching them sleep, Flowey was filled with a sense of iron-sharp malice; but yet, despite his abhorrence to all things _sweet_ and  _cute_  (ironic, considering he's a goddamn flower) _,_  the ex-prince was oddly fascinated with the human male and his counterpart all the same. Perhaps it was time to mix things up around in the UNDERGROUND. The arrival of the seventh and eighth humans couldn't go uncelebrated, after all.

Flowey popped down into the earth with an echoing laugh, thinking to himself; ** _'that's a wonderful idea!'_**


	2. Wisteria

**Breaking Barriers:**

By Tannin & Tele

* * *

  _Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and the creators of UNDERTALE, voiding that of original content and characters._

* * *

 **Prompt:** Wisteria,

 meaning; _welcoming, endurance, exploration, the duality of love,_ and  _victory over hardship._

* * *

**II:**

Frisk awoke slowly, blinking heavily as she took in the sight of a  _bloody gigantic hole_ above her head.

She jerked up in surprise and panicked when she realized her arms were pinned down by a somewhat heavy weight. Then she noticed the warm, diminutive creature lying atop her and nearly shoved Harry off in embarrassment, momentarily forgetting that they were no-where near their orphanage dorm surrounded by judgmental gazes and shrill jeers. 

Realizing Harry was still unconscious even after her panic-addled struggles, Frisk took a deep breath to calm herself and slid out from beneath him, wobbling slightly as her boots hit the cobblestone floor. She looked around nervously, taking in the tall marble pillars and golden flowers blossoming in the dark cavern. Spotting a narrow corridor leading out of the chasm, Frisk took a tentative step towards it, before glancing back guiltily. 

Usually, Frisk wouldn't hesitate to explore the area - but not trusting that they were completely  _alone_ here, Frisk didn't dare investigate far. So, wondering what her brother would do, she compiled the facts. 

As far as she could tell, they had fallen into the mountain and were several miles underground; by all intents and purposes, stuck. Frisk had read all the legends and heard all the tales, but never really  _believed_ them until now. Those who climbed Mt. Ebott never returned, and at least now Frisk understood - at least in part - why.

The local news station did a documentary on the mountain years ago when a teenage boy camping in the area was lost to the mountain, never to be seen again. If that boy couldn't be found, what was to say Frisk and Harry had any chance of surviving? 

Frisk groaned to herself and slid down to her bum, pressing her face into her hands. Several minutes later, this was the sight Harry awoke to, disoriented and dizzy from blood-loss, but no less observant than ever.

"That...is a really long drop," he muttered wearily, squinting his eyes at the opening above them. He didn't comment on her vulnerable position, and with Frisk's help, Harry stood on shaky legs.

His eyes were filled with fear. Harry wasn't particularly fond of small spaces, and the darkness of the corridor made him question it's size. Breathing fast from pain and anxiety, Harry leaned heavily on his sister hoping his knee wouldn't buckle. 

Spotting Harry's cane surprisingly undamaged, Frisk set him against the wall as she grabbed it. As Frisk handed it over helpfully, Harry stared around the room, his lips quivering with a thousand questions. But only one broke through. 

"How in the _hell_ are we still alive?"  

Frisk didn't have an answer. 

* * *

"It's...a flower," Frisk said dumbly as they entered the next room. 

The space was very dark, the only color coming from a small platform of grey stone. The marble surrounded a patch of grass, a single golden flower blossoming within.  Harry shuddered, gaining the eerie sensation he was being watched. Breathing in, he flicked away his fringe and turned to inspect the area. On the other side of the platform was a purple door marked with a strange rune Harry didn't recognize. It glowed appealingly in the darkness; intrigued, the twins began towards it.  

 **"Howdy!"** Came a voice, startling the two humans. 

"What the  _fu-_ " Frisk broke off fiercely, whipping around as the flower suddenly...grew a  _face?_  

Like something out of a kid's cartoon, it smiled at themsweetly, it's voice high and sickeningly saccharine.  **"I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower!**    **Hmmm...you two are new to the UNDERGROUND, aren'tcha?"** The plant didn't pause for an answer. 

 **"** **Golly, you must be so confused. Someone ought to teach you how things work around here. I guess little old me will have to do,"**  Flowey gave a sick grin.Harry and Frisk glanced at each other in complete horror. **"Ready? Here we go!"**

Completely against their own violation, the twins jerked forward, vision tinging with darkness. Harry landed shakily on the ground, his cane clattering to his side. Looking around wildly, Harry went pale as shimmering white walls suddenly surrounded them like a boxing cage.

The corridor was bathed in darkness, all three of their silhouettes glinting with a strange white glow. Frisk sucked in a gasp as she felt a tug on her chest, her spine arching backwards. Before her eyes, a glowing red heart appeared, bouncing and jerking with deranged excitement.

 **"See that heart? That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being."** Flowey explained cheerily, gesturing with his petals. Seconds later, Harry felt the same tug and frantically scratched at his chest. Harry's lightning-bolt scar burst with pain as his Soul tore itself free from his torso, quivering inches away from his face.

Harry stared, dumbstruck at the glowing _mess_ in front of him. While his sister's Soul was a crisp crimson, shimmering with light, his was...well. Kind of gross. 

It was a sickening green color, marred with deep cracks of grey and white. The scars shifted and squirmed, furtively reaching towards the edge of his Soul as though it was vying to be let out. His green soul glowed warningly and the tentacles grudgingly receded; Harry could practically _feel_ the corruption writhing within him, shuddering and glitching with hidden rage. His head pulsed heavily, and Harry felt bile crawling up his throat.  

Frisk, meanwhile, was entranced with her own rose-colored Soul. As she reached towards it, the Soul moved away twirling in a circle teasingly. Harry moved his hand experimentally and the Soul reluctantly bobbed in the air. Harry felt bad for it. 

Flowey seemed simultaneously disgusted and fascinated with Harry's Soul, his eyes glinting with curiosity. Tearing his eyes away, the flower continued his well-practiced monologue with a condescending drawl.   **"Your SOUL starts off very weak,"**  he told Frisk and Harry.  **"But it can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV. What's LV stand for?"**

"Level?" Frisk said blandly, as if it was obvious. Flowey's smile glitched. 

 **"Why, LOVE, of course!"** he interrupted loudly. **"You want some LOVE, don't you? Don't worry, I'll share some with you.** **Down here, LOVE is shared through little white 'friendliness pellets'. Are you ready? Move around! Get as many as you can!"** Harry, reminded of stones the older kids used to toss at him, instinctively dodged to the side as glowing white pellets suddenly scattered towards them. They missed Frisk all together, making Harry feel a bit vindictive. 

As the attack ended, Harry could see a little bar of yellow light, listing their **'HP'** levels. Whatever the hell that meant. Frisk had a grand total of 20/20  **HP,** while Harry had...10/20?  But he had dodged! He glanced down at his throbbing leg, scowling. 

 **"Hey, buddies, you missed them."** Flowey said, voice pitching in slight irritation. " **Let's try again, okay?"**  The bullets spread out again, this time harder to dodge.  Harry and Frisk dove in separate directions, just narrowly missing the pellets. As they passed, Harry got a good glimpse of them. They seemed sharp, and just _looking_ at them made his head ache; not quite as bad as falling into Mt. Ebott had, but close. 

Biting his lip, Harry muttered to his sister. "I think something's off here." 

Frisk looked at him incredulously. "No shite, Driad," She spoke in a murmured hiss. "What tipped you off, the talking _flower_ or the magic floating hearts? Do you think we're hallucinating? Or dreaming? Did we somehow hit our heads on the way down?" 

Meanwhile, Flowey was becoming incredibly irked. " **Is this a joke?"**  He snapped, face darkening. **"Are you braindead? RUN. INTO. THE. ~~BULLETS~~!!!" ** Flowey blinked, before giving a sweet smile. **"Ahem... _'_ _friendliness pellets'._ " **

The twins shared a _look,_ and Frisk twisted to avoid the projectiles. 

"Well, I know _I_ hit my head, 'cause it hurt like hell," Harry scowled and brandished his cane to knock away a pellet. "But what are the chances we're both dreaming the same exact thing?"

Frisk smirked. "I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm _quite_ mad enough to dream up something as demented as  _this._ It's like  _Alice in Wonderland_ on steroids!" she complained, and Flowey sneered darkly at Frisk's words. She let out an  _eek_  as a wayward pellet veered toward her. 

Soon, the bullets disappeared, and Flowey's face enlarged into a disgusting scowl. **"You know what's going on here, don't you?"**  He growled, voice shaking with rage. **"You just wanted to see me suffer. DIE!"**

Harry gasped as the pellets surrounded them, twisting and writhing in a large circle that slowly closed in.

 _It was like the Cupboard all over again,_ he thought, knees suddenly giving out. He could practically  _feel_ the walls compressing on him (which they were, and that only made it worse). His chest tightening in response, Harry's breath came short pants, eyes going glassy as his mind gave away to fear. His Soul - in turn - was shivering madly, reacting to his claustrophobia. 

Frisk was stock-still as the pellets whirred around them, her hazel eyes wide. Her heart struggled fruitlessly, following the line of pellets, looking for a way out. Flowey laughed mockingly at her attempts, his voice echoing across the room. As the bullets closed in, Harry shut his eyes in resignation. He sucked in one last breath and let out a strangled cough as smoke filled his lungs.

"Oh, thank God," Frisk breathed out as a sizzling ball of flame suddenly appeared, spiraling towards their executioner. Flowey let out a high-pitched scream as the inferno struck him, knocking him into the dark abyss. The pellets disappeared completely, although the floating hearts remained, shuddering in relief. 

"'m sorry, 'm sorry, _please_ -" Harry was muttering furiously, eyes clenched shut as - in his mind - he was being tortured by looming figures, heavy blows, sharp slices of the belt, screams of vitriol, the smell of burnt food, empty stomachs, overwhelming darkness and cramped, musty spaces.

Frisk couldn't remember much about life before the orphanage, but Harry could remember it all _._ How could he possibly forget?  

Frisk - thinking that Harry hadn't had a panic attack so violent in years - immediately fell next to her brother. She _unhelpfully_ wrapped an arm around his back, and brushed away his damp fringe. Harry was sweating profusely, his scar burning a pinkish-red. Frisk touched it briefly, hissing in pain as it sizzled beneath her fingertips. As she aired out the burn, she murmured placations under her breath, ignoring the tears that trickled down her brother's cheeks. 

 _"What a terrible creature, torturing such poor, innocent youth..."_ a soft voice tsked, and a tall figure stepped out of the shadows. Frisk instantly moved to hide her brother's prone body, and gaped up as a furry, horned, entirely clothed goat approached them.  

This dream was just getting stranger and stranger. She didn't know whether to be afraid or not. 

 _But,_ Frisk wondered, _if flowers could be evil down here...what were the chances farm animals could be barbarous as well?_ She eyed Toriel's long horns and elongated teeth with slight fear. 

 _"Ah, do not be afraid, my children,"_ The goat said soothingly. " _I am Toriel, caretaker of the RUINS. I_ _pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first humans to come here in a long time. Um...is he well?"_ Toriel asked awkwardly, crouching down and reaching towards the smaller twin. 

Frisk automatically flinched away, tugging Harry closer to her. "He'll be fine," she muttered, sharp hazel eyes staring down the woman. Toriel frowned sadly but didn't persist, instead rising and waving a hand. At her command, the darkness around them receded and color flooded the room once more. Frisk winced as her Soul was jerked back into her chest, and Harry sucked in a sharp breath as his Soul returned.

His vision clearing suddenly, Harry blinked wildly as he came back to reality. Noticing this, Frisk immediately jerked away, her face flushing in embarrassment. Harry didn't say anything about her brief burst of protectiveness as he glanced around for the killer flower. He breathed out shakily, startled by the sight of a giant feminine goat speaking to them.

"Who...?" he croaked. 

 _"I'm Toriel,"_  the woman repeated with a smile. _"I will protect you, my children._ _Come!_   _I_ _shall guide you through the catacombs,"_   Toriel said, gesturing towards the door. With Frisk's half-hearted assistance, Harry struggled to stand, grasping at his cane. _"This way, my children."_

* * *

The first room Toriel had led them into was rather large, the walls and floor painted a faded purple. The ground was decorated with beautiful red leaves, leading to a set of stairs.

As they had passed through, Harry was the first to notice a strange yellow star twinkling atop the cobblestones. When he reached toward it, his vision became tinged with black and Harry got the strangest shiver in his Soul. A sense of danger entered him, but before he could investigate further, Toriel had quickly ushered them away into the next room. 

Harry couldn't help but be a bit thankful, because as soon as they left the corridor, his brief thrall with the light had completely vanished. Something about those stars didn't seem _right._ Hell, who was he kidding? This entire  _situation_ wasn't right.  

After Toriel had explained the _'ancient fusions between diversions and doorkeys'_ (otherwise known as 'puzzles'), Harry and Frisk had been left alone to explore the room. Frisk immediately went to the slab of stone on the wall, and tipped her head as she read the inscription. It was mostly worn away, but what she couldmake out was a bit ominous.

Frisk wasn't fazed. "Well, isn't that just lovely," she drawled, before shrugging carelessly. "Sorry, Harry, it says you can't come. I guess Toriel and I will just have to leave you here."   

Harry glanced at the inscription impassively. " _O_ _nly the fearless may proceed,"_   he muttered, tapping his lip as he inspected the puzzle. He was feeling a bit tired after his panic attack, but kept his mind busy by exploring the catacombs.  _"'Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road'_." As he tentatively stepped onto one of the stone tablets beneath him, the doorway closed with a loud _clunk!_

Harry's eyes went wide in realization. "It's not a warning _or_ a restriction," he exclaimed excitedly, green eyes brightening. "It's giving us the answer! _'The middle road'..._ do you see that light purple pathway between those four stones? The path is blocked by the only two stones Toriel _didn't_ press." 

Turning on his heel, Harry went back to the star room and returned moments later. Frisk jerked as the stones all popped up with a _chink._   _"'Walk_ _not_   _the middle path',"_ Harry murmured and quickly pressed down the correct stones. Heels bouncing in anticipation, he flipped the yellow switch, the door opening to reveal a grinning Toriel.

"Clever, really," Harry said in appreciation as he beckoned Frisk forward. "Although it seems a bit like cheating."  

Frisk rolled her eyes, muttering insults beneath her breath. "You're such a dork," she said fondly. 

* * *

"But...I mean, the switches were labeled! And even if they  _weren't ,_ the path lead  _right to them..._ these puzzles are completely illogical." Harry muttered as they followed quietly behind Toriel. Frisk jabbed him in the stomach as they were lead to a stuffed dummy, seeming out-of-place in the ancient RUINS. Toriel moved to guard the door, and Harry grasped onto his sister. 

 _"As humans living in the UNDERGROUND, monsters may attack you. You will need to be prepared for this situation. However, worry not!"_   Toriel said cheerfully. _"The_ _process is simple. When you encounter a monster, you will enter a FIGHT. While you are in a FIGHT, strike up a friendly conversation._ _Stall for time, and I will come to resolve the conflict. Practice talking to the dummy."_

"I'm not  _'talking'_ to the dummy," Frisk hissed to her brother a few moments later. The monochrome FIGHT screen had returned, and when they tried to Flee, Toriel blocked their way. "It's -"

"Dum?" Harry suggested with a grin. He could swear he heard Toriel snort (elegantly, of course) in the background. 

Frisk stared at him, fists clenching. "I swear to God I will kill you."

"That's not very merciful, Ches," Harry giggled, and pressed the 'Talk' button before she could stop him. 

"Hey, you know, white is a really great color on you," Harry complimented the dummy. "It's a nice contrast with your seams." Frisk supposed Harry was a bit more confident chatting with an inanimate object than actual people, seeing as the dummy (probably) couldn't reject Harry or stuff his head in a toliet. 

If it did, though, that would be awesome. 

After a bit of one-sided small talk, it became clear that the dummy didn't seem much for conversation, but Toriel seemed happy. As the FIGHT scene faded and Harry gained a warm-hearted compliment, Frisk sulked a bit, kicking the dummy's pedestal. She flinched away in surprise as it suddenly glowed orange, and she quickly hurried after Toriel.   

* * *

After being left in the long-as-hell corridor with nothing to do except fiddle with Toriel's spare phone (and Harry had taken that task upon himself), Frisk was starting to get stir-crazy.

Harry, meanwhile, was sitting patiently against the wall, tracing the phone antenna absentmindedly as he (probably) contemplated life's greatest mysteries. Usually Harry was the anxious one in their duo, and seeing him all patient and collected while she paced about restlessly  _really_ pissed Frisk off.  "I'm leaving," she declared, pushing off the pillar.

Swiping the phone from Harry's hands, Frisk tucked it away and skipped towards the door.  "Wha- Ches! No, _stop!_ " Harry called out, scrambling to his feet. Frisk ignored him with ease and had barely crossed the threshold when their phone started ringing. 

 _Great timing, Goat Mom,_ she thought sardonically. She flipped the phone open, and muttered a greeting. 

 _"Hello? This is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you?"_ Frisk blinked, and glanced around the room for a hidden camera. All she saw was an oddly-shaped frog, staring at her and **ribbit** ing nervously. 

"No, of course not," Frisk said convincingly, smirking as Harry hobbled toward her. He scowled at Frisk, gesturing for the phone. She handed it over, mouthing _'don't you dare snitch',_   before going to speak with the Froggit. Expecting incoherent croaks and other frog-noises, Frisk was taken by surprise. 

" **Ribbit, ribbit. _(Excuse me, human. I have some advice for you about battling monsters...)"_**

Harry flipped the phone shut, even more wary than before about proceeding than before. "Ches, please," he begged, wringing his fingers. "Just go back to the room. Toriel said that there were more puzzles ahead, and it would be dangerous to solve them by yourself." 

Shaking herself from the conversation with the Froggit, Frisk gave a wry grin before entering the next room. 

"Don't worry, Driad. I  _won't_ be solving them by myself," she called out, returning a few moments later with a handful of Monster Candy. Sucking on one, she passed a few to Harry, who eyed them suspiciously. Frisk grinned, her teeth stained pink and blue. "You'll be helping me, won't you?" 

Harry, much as he despised the trait, could never deny his sister.  "Fine..." he muttered, pocketing the candy. "But I get the phone. Did you know there's a FLIRT button on it?" 

Frisk barked out a laugh, absently waving goodbye to the Froggit as they forgoed yet another SAVE point. "You flirted pretty well with the dummy," she teased good-naturedly. "Why don't you try it, but...but call her 'Mum', first?" Frisk choked out, laughing. 

Harry looked horrified at the very prospect. 


	3. Heather

**Breaking Barriers:**

By Tannin & Tele

* * *

  _Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and the creators of UNDERTALE, voiding that of original content and characters._

* * *

 **Prompt:** Heather,

 meaning;  _independence, protection, good luck_  and **_stained by blood_** _.  
_

* * *

**"i usually come to the RUINS because there's nobody around. . .but today i met somebody nice. oh, i'm rambling again. . . i'll get out of your way,"**  Napstablook said sadly and quickly faded away, leaving Harry staring at the empty leaf pile, lips turning downward in sympathy.

Impatient, Frisk shoved Harry forward and stalked past him into the next room. "I don't know what it is with you and these monsters, but you're becoming far too friendly with them," Frisk admonished playfully as she dolled out seven golden coins and placed them in the spider web. 

"Says the girl that's donating to a  _spider charity_ ," Harry scoffed, reaching out to grab the proffered Spider Donut. Deciding to save it for later, he slipped it away into his pocket. 

"Hey, do you have anymore Gold for a 'Spider Cider'?" Frisk asked absently. Harry stuck his hand into the pocket experimentally and removed a handful of coins. 

"Anyways," Harry shrugged as they continued to the northern room. "I feel kind of bad for the monsters. It must be so terribly lonely down here, and it's obvious that most of them don't  _really_ want to FIGHT us." 

"Of _course_ they don't," Frisk said sarcastically. "They just get a kick out of chucking oddly-shaped bullets and sentient bugs at us-" 

"Quiet!" Harry hissed as they approached a line-up of albino Froggits. The first one looked looked up at them with wet eyes. 

" **Ribbit, ribbit. _(Sigh. Ny friend never listens to me. Whenever I talk, they skip through my words by pressing [X]. That's right......Pressing [X]...........)"_** Frisk couldn't help it. As soon as the letter appeared, floating so appealingly before her, she pressed [X]. The Froggit let out a strangled croak as his voice sped up before ending abruptly with an;  **" _(Oh, not you too!)"_**

* * *

They landed softly on a pile of red leaves in a small room that caused Harry's skin to crawl with unease. His only consolation he was that the walls were transparent; still completely solid, Harry had checked, but giving the illusion the space was much larger.

Frisk, curious, peered about the space and pointed out a yellow switch in the top middle room. If they squinted, they could also see a nearly-transparent Napstablook floating on his side. Harry desperately wanted to visit the ghost, but the less time he spent in these small spaces, the better. 

As Frisk and Harry walked towards the dark tunnel leading upwards, Harry saw a faded piece of fabric lying on the cobblestones. He decided to take it. 

"Why don't you wear the ribbon?" Harry said, thrusting the ribbon toward his sister. 

"I will not." Frisk refused hotly, crossing her arms. "It's  _pink,_  and just plain ugly!"

Harry frowned. "I think it's cute. Come on, Francesca; it'll protect you," he said earnestly.

Harry gently unknotted the tie and reached towards her head, brushing back Frisk's fringe. "I don't  _need_ protecting," Frisk sniffed, ducking around him. " _You_ wear it."

Harry frowned at the implications of that, but conceded without protest. He brushed off the dust and wrapped it loosely around his hair, leaving a small bit of hair down to cover his scar. As Harry patted his head, he found that the ribbon actually seemed to flatten his hair a bit.

 _I_ _t's a miracle,_ he thought in amazement. 

And, who knew? Maybe monsters really wouldn't hit as hard if he looked 'cute'.

* * *

"Oh, so you won't take the ribbon to protect you, but you  _will_ take the knife?!" Harry exclaimed, trying to knock the weapon from Frisk's hands. The girl tsked and twirled away, leaving her brother to trip over his feet.

"It's just a toy knife, Driad," she informed him, and demonstrated by bending the blade. "It's made of plastic." 

"It could still hurt!" Harry defended, but gave up as he realized his cane could do just as much damage, if not more. "You know what, never mind," he sighed in exasperation, before warning; "Just don't let Toriel see it." 

Frisk half-heartedly agreed, and allowed Harry to lead them to the northernmost room, where a large tree towered over the entire RUINS. Harry hadn't heard of any tree on the surface that was entirely black with red leaves, and figured that it was exclusive to the UNDERWORLD. How it went through photosynthesis without the Sun, he was at a loss. 

 _"Oh, that took longer than I thought it would,"_ came a voice from behind the tree. Harry grabbed Frisk's arm and dragged her forward into Toriel's line of sight. The goat was immediately filled with concern as she saw the two ragged siblings. Shame bubbled darkly in Harry's chest. _"How did you get here, my children?"_  she asked frantically. _"Are you hurt? There, there, I will heal you."_

She ran her paws over Frisk and Harry's injuries, a wave of comforting warmth filling them. Harry blinked in surprise as his head injury stitched up, his leg becoming easier to stand on. Frisk was amazed, looking down at her arm as a green pustule from a Moldsmal attack evaporated away with a puff of smoke. Toriel ruffled their hair affectionately. 

 _"I should not have left you alone for so long...it was irresponsible to try and surprise you like this."_ Frisk and Harry exchanged a mutually astonished look. Toriel smiled at them. _"Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small ones!"_

* * *

While Harry slept long and fitfully in their new bedroom, Frisk explored Toriel's house.

It was strange, how the monsters seemed to have assimilated to human culture despite being buried UNDERGROUND for who-know's how long. There was a kitchen, a dining room, several bedrooms and even a human bathroom hidden behind the water sausages. Of course, there were hints of monster culture as well. Books on monster history, burn marks on the walls that seemed far too intentional, fur in the sink, a bucket of snails, and a drawer of Bigfoot-sized socks... _scandalous!_

It had only been half a day and yet, despite the extraordinary of the RUINS and the kindness Toriel had shown them so far, Frisk couldn't help but feel a bit confined. From what Flowey had told her and Harry, there _had_ to be more to the UNDERGROUND than this. 

Finding Toriel seated in a squashy chair near the fire-place, Frisk couldn't resist speaking up. She leaned against the armchair, looking over the goat's shoulder.

"Hey, um, Toriel?" 

Toriel startled from her book, silver reading glasses slipping down her nose.  _"Oh, Frisk! "_  she said happily _"Um...I wanted to let you know how glad I am to have someone here. Or, several someones,"_ she said with a shy smile. " _T_ _here are so many old books I want to share, and I want to show you and Harry my favorite bug-hunting spot..."_ Frisk began to deflate the the hopeful look in her eyes.  

"Listen, Toriel," Frisk started slowly, mustering her courage. "I appreciate for all that you've done for us-" Toriel's expression began to droop, and the human hurried to finish. "But do you, perhaps, know when we can go home?"

 _"What?"_ Toriel asked sharply, eyes flashing red. Frisk jerked back in surprise, and Toriel visibly controlled herself. The goat woman looked up in relief as Harry entered, his hair tousled and the pink ribbon tied around his neck. Harry rubbed his eyes, smiling at them blearily.  _"Good evening, my child!"_   Toriel said, her smile a bit forced. _"How was your nap?"_

"I slept well, thank you," Harry said quietly.

 _"And how was your pie?"_ she asked. 

"I'm saving it for later, but it smells delicious," Harry assured. Toriel beamed at him. 

Getting annoyed at the goat's aversion tactics, Frisk looked to her brother for support. "Help me here, Harry. We need to get home, right?" 

Harry blinked in startlement. "Um..."

" _Harry,"_ Frisk hissed. Harry found himself nodding. 

"For once, Frisk is correct," he agreed, voice strained. "The caretakers must be worried, and we have school-"

Toriel frowned at him. _"No proper caretaker would have allowed their children to fall into a mountain- "_  Frisk and Harry glanced down sheepishly, _" -and you are in no need of attending school, as I have already prepared a curriculum for your educations._ _This may come as a surprise to you, but I've always wanted to be a teacher...well, actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising. Still, I am very excited to have you_ _living here."_  

"Toriel," Harry trailed off regretfully. "We're grateful for everything, but, truly, we need to get back home." 

Toriel smoothed out her dress. _"I'm sorry, children, but this_ is  _your home now. Um...would you like to hear about this book I am reading? It is called_ '72 Uses for Snails.'  _How about it?"_   

Frisk's eyes narrowed, and her posture shifted into a stance Harry recognized as _trouble_. "We tried being nice," Frisk muttered in irritation, reaching into her pocket. Harry could see the handle of the toy-knife, and he grabbed her hand warningly. Why was she acting so...volatile? 

"Please, Toriel," he tried again, eyes imploring. "How do we exit the RUINS?" 

Toriel's face immediately closed off. Shutting her book abruptly, Toriel stood, avoiding their gazes. _"I have to do something,"_   she said stiffly. _"_ _Please stay here."_   Toriel took off rather quickly for an old goat-lady, sliding past Harry and disappearing down the stairs.

Harry gaped, and turned to face his sister. Frisk's face was setting in determination. _Oh no, please don't-_

Harry shut his eyes in resignation, and when he opened them, Frisk was already gone. 

* * *

Talking didn't seem to work, Harry realized, heart thumping madly both inside and outside of his chest.

Sweat dribbled down his forehead as the room heated up, orange flames dancing about their bodies. Harry breathed hard as smoke filled his lungs. A ball of flame flew towards him, just about singing off his eyebrows. Harry had trouble dodging the line of fire as it honed in on his Soul, but - instincts taking over - he stopped, dropped, and rolled. Right next to his sister.

She looked down at him critically, and Harry stood quickly. _**"I'm getting tired of this,"**_  she murmured darkly.

Harry could tell by the light in her eyes Frisk was sorely tempted to FIGHT back. 

"We need to FIGHT her!" she confirmed, wincing as a flame brushed against her side. "It's the only option!" Harry made a noise of frustration as Frisk took over the controls.

Moving quickly, he shoved her to the ground, her stab missing Toriel completely. Instead, it coming close to hitting _him_ but Harry twisted away and the knife clattered to the ground. Frisk went pale, eyes widening in fear and anger. 

"We can't FIGHT her!" Harry shouted, and quickly pressed SPARE as Toriel finished her next spray of flames. The stayed down, gasping as heat flared around them. 

 _"Fight or run away!"_ she demanded, voice high.

With effort, Frisk pushed Harry off and scooped up the knife. In her distraction, she was hit in the chest by a ball of fire. Gasping, Frisk's  **HP** was lowered to 5/20, and she fell to her knees. Concern flashed in Toriel's eyes, and her next attack was strangely easy to dodge. 

On his turn, he pressed SPARE, and Toriel snapped. _"What are you proving this way?!"_ she shouted.

Despite her anger, the flames continued to veer away from them. It seemed Toriel was reluctant to continue the FIGHT.   _"I know you want to go home, but..."_ she trailed off.  Her flames ebbed away.  _"But please...go upstairs now."_

Harry shook his head grimly in response. "We _can't,_ Toriel," he said softly, green eyes piercing. His damaged heart flickered pitifully, and Toriel's paws shook with emotion. She couldn't find it in herself to FIGHT them any longer. 

 _"I promise I will take good care of you here,"_   she said weakly. _"I know we don't have much, but we can have a good life here."_

Both twins felt longing flare in their chests, and tears began to stream down Frisk's cheeks. 

 _"Why are you making this so difficult?"_ Toriel said in frustration, running a hand through her fur.  _"Please, go upstairs..."_

Harry let out a choked sob, moving to press SPARE. While he was distracted, Frisk found her knife. 

 ** _Do it,_** a voice hissed in her head, making her hand clench around the handle. ** _Take your chance._**

"I'm sorry, Toriel," Harry whispered, looking to his sister for support. 

Frisk sucked in a breath, eyes reflecting the flames. 

"I'm sorry, too," she murmured and looked up, vision turning red.  _ **TAKE YOUR CHANCE!**_

And - ignoring Harry's sharp gasp- in one, swift movement, she did. 

* * *

**QUITTING...**

**Save Uploaded.** _**Continue?** _

* * *

 Harry couldn't stop the tears as Toriel walked away, sparing them one last look. He covered his face, breathing heavily as silence filled the air. Frisk collapsed against the wall, wiping her face free of soot.  Minutes passed until Harry was finally able to speak. "How are your burns?" Harry asked his sister quietly, sliding down next to her. 

A hard look came to her eyes, assuring Harry that Frisk wasn't completely traumatized. That she wasn't completely lost.

"They're _fine,_ Harry," Frisk said in exasperation. "I can handle a little burn."

Harry eyed the crispiness of her sweater and the redness of her skin, but didn't push it. He probably looked no better. "Alright," he sighed. "Shall we continue, then?" 

Frisk let out a long sigh and pulled herself up, brushing her trousers free of grime. Harry grabbed his cane from the cobblestone floor and hoisted himself up. It seemed that no matter his **HP,** his leg wound was never entirely healed. Perhaps because it had been gained _outside_ of the mountain. 

As the Potter twins opened the heavy metal door, they were greeted with another long hallway decorated in several shades of purple. "How...foreboding," Frisk said wryly, setting off towards the distant end. Harry looked around anxiously as they entered another shadowed room, nearly tripping over his feet at the sight of yellow petals and a mocking grin. 

As they reluctantly approached, Flowey jeered at them, his voice resonating across the room. **"Clever. Verrrryyy clever. You two think you're really smart, don't you?"** He asked, smirking.  **"In this world, it's KILL or BE KILLED. So you were able to play by your own rules."**

His face morphed into a crunched, mocking scowl.  **"But don't act so cocky. I know what you did,"**  he whispered, looking between the two. Harry and Frisk moved closer to each other at the callous in Flowey's voice.   **"You _murdered_ her, and then you went back...because you _regretted_ it." **

Frisk frowned at his words, while Harry felt his chest constricting in fear. **"You naive idiot! Do you think you are the only one with that power? The power to reshape the world, purely by your own 'determination' and 'kindness',"** Flowey sneered at Harry.  **"The ability to play God! The ability to "SAVE". I thought I was the only one with that power...but I can't SAVE anymore. Apparently _your_ desires for this world override  _mine._ Well, well. ** **Enjoy that power while you can, because, TRUST ME...I'll be watching."**

Flowey laughed loudly, causing Harry to flinch backward. The flower reveled in the fear in Harry's eyes, giving the boy a sparkling wink before he disappeared into the groundwith a resounding  _pop!_

The room was silent for a pregnant beat. 

"What the  _f***_ did he mean by us  _murdering Toriel_?" Frisk shouted, turning to Harry. "And what 'SAVE' points?!" 

Harry cowered away. "Um," he stammered. "Well. Have you seen those yellow stars?"

Frisk blinked at him, and he coughed slightly. "So, funny story. Before we fought Toriel, I actually went back to a look at the one outside her house, and..." Harry rubbed his head. "I figured out that if we were actually  _killed_ by one of those monsters or if our  **HP** ran out...we could return back to life. We could revert to the 'SAVE' point and do it over again; like going back in time." 

Frisk looked horrified, but intrigued all the same. "Like in a video game. But what about Toriel?" 

"Oh, that," Harry pulled away from his sister, looking a bit guilty. "Well. I kind of...used one," 

Disbelieve flooded her features. "So what happened?" She demanded. "Did we actually _kill_ her?" 

Harry looked at her sadly.  "Yeah...we did. Or, well, I did. " he said softly. Frisk's brows rose in shock. 

 _ **He's lying,**_ a voice whispered in her head. 

"You can't remember it. But," Harry thought fast, swallowing hard. "Her attacks were too extreme," his hands were shaking. "We were both getting tired, and our **HP** was low...she was going to kill us. We had no choice but to FIGHT her." Harry sucked in a breath, avoiding Frisk's gaze "I struck the last blow. I don't know why I did it, but I felt so  _guilty_ afterwards. I didn't even consider the consequences before resetting. I just couldn't stand the look in your eyes when Toriel fell. I couldn't stand the tears," he choked. 

 _ **Tell someone who cares,**_ Chara muttered.

Frisk stared at her brother for a long time, before nodding slowly. "I understand," she said, far too calmly. "It was self-defense...I would have done the same thing," Harry winced at this. "No matter what Flowey said, we saved her life," Frisk said determinedly. " _You_ saved her life. We played by our own rules, and you shouldn't feel bad for that." 

"But...I still don't think SAVEs are a good thing, Ches," Harry spoke softy, grasping anxiously at his cane. "I know Toriel was saved, but -" 

Frisk snorted, and brushed away a piece of hair. "Stop complaining already. You made a mistake, and you corrected it. Simple as that. Although _,_ it's kind of awesome, isn't it? We can't die, we can easily regain our **HP** , and if we make any mistakes we can just turn back time..." she trailed off wistfully.  

"You make it sound so easy, Ches," Harry interrupted softly. "But it's  _not._ Like Flowey said, it's playing God...not a power _anyone_ should have, much less two preteen children-"

Frisk waved a dismissive hand at him.  "Oh, fine! Fine, we won't use them...not unless we need too."

"But-" 

"Seriously, Driad," Frisk said in exasperation, stepping towards the darkened threshold. "You're taking this all too personally. You should be happy. Toriel's alive, we're alive...does it really matter how you got it down?" Frisk's voice seemed to soften as she stepped back into the darkness.

She lifted her gaze to meet Harry's and her eyes flashed - for a still, terrifying moment - the same color as her Soul. Harry took a fearful step back. 

 **"After all, no matter who you KILL or SPARE..."**  Chara whispered.

**_"This is all just a bad dream."_ **


	4. Arum

**Breaking Barriers:**

By Tannin & Tele

* * *

  _Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and the creators of UNDERTALE, voiding that of original content and characters._

* * *

 **Prompt:** Arum,

 meaning; _faith, youth, ardor, overcoming challenges_ and  _ **rebirth**. _

* * *

 **III:**

The Potter twins sucked in a breath as they were suddenly dropped into a world full of white, an icy breeze blowing back their hair. Harry shivered violently as flakes of snow melted on his pale skin, chilling him to the bone. 

"It's...cold," Frisk whispered to herself. Harry nodded in agreement, his breath coming out as a puff of white. As Frisk looked around, Harry eyed her warily, looking for any sign of the red-eyed  _monster._ Noticing that his sister seemed back to normal for now, he decided to just ignore the recent occurrence, hoping that Harry's use of the SAVE point had repressed the demon. 

In truth, Frisk had truly scared him - first by killing Toriel, and then by her fierce declaration that _it was all just a bad dream._  He was unsure of how to approach her, but seeing her quickly transform back into the twin he knew and loved...it gave him hope.

Blowing hot air into his hands, Harry glanced around at the towering trees and the cavernous ceiling. Purple and blue crystals glowed dimly, lighting the UNDERGROUND in a pale mimicry of starlight. Around them looked to be nothing but white for miles, but in the distance he could see the faint shimmering of a river or lake. If the twins strained their ears, they could hear faint music ringing out in the distance, indicating civilization. Frisk, curious as always, started up the path alone. 

Harry lingered behind and stared suspiciously at a large pile of snow. He could swear he could see something glinting inside and cautiously crouched down to brush away a layer of frost. Harry bit back a soft exclamation as he found a black camera lens pointing right at the RUINS door; the red recording light blinked up at him, and Harry pulled away with furrowed brows. 

As Frisk's figure became distant, Harry hurried after her, carefully stepping over a large, out-of-place stick. Catching up to his sister, Harry debated mentioning the hidden camera when he heard a loud snap from behind them. The twins swung around, surprised to see the sturdy branch snapped in several pieces. 

"What in the hell?" Frisk muttered, finding the path completely bare. The continued forward, and could not ignore the distinct sounds of footsteps. 

"I think...someone's following us," Harry murmured, green eyes flashing brightly as he caught the strong scent of...ketchup? Harry grasped onto Frisk's sleeve, and hearing no other movement, he bit his lip. Slowly, he pulled Frisk forward, cleverly watching the reflection in his glasses. Several paces later, he caught a glimpse of a dark figure lurking by the tree line. Fear rose in his chest. 

As they met a bridge blocked by a large wooden gate, Harry tensed as he felt the stranger approaching them from behind. "Stay utterly still," he murmured, and Frisk nodded minutely. Feet crunched on the snow, and Frisk resisted a sneeze as the tomato scent grew stronger.  

 **"H u m a n s,"** came a deep voice from directly behind them. **"D o n' t   y o u   k n o w   h o w   t o   g r e e t   a   n e w   p a l ? "** Harry and Frisk shared a bewildered look. **"T u r n   a r o u n d**     **a n d   s h a k e   m y   h a n d, "** the stranger commanded. 

Despite Harry's firm grasp on her arm, Frisk was the first to turn.

"You  _idiot,"_ Harry muttered, but reluctantly followed, hiding behind her shoulder. The figure was short and bathed in an unnatural darkness. The entire encounter just  _screamed_ 'danger', but Frisk was never one to listen to common sense.

Reaching towards the extended limb, Frisk gaped in surprise as she was greeted by a loud, ridiculously extended fart noise. _"Ppppffffffftttttt......!"_

Frisk flinched away as bony phalanges suddenly appeared in her grasp. Her face turned faintly green as she took in the white skull, eye-less sockets and the gross stench that leaked from the stranger's blue jacket. The skeleton grinned cheerfully as he took in Frisk's horrified face, while Harry just...stared.

 **"heheh...the old whoopie cushion in the hand trick. it's ALWAYS funny,"**  the skeleton chuckled as Frisk suddenly blushed. **"anyways, you're humans, right? that's hilarious. although, we don't usually get them in pairs..."** the skeleton trailed off thoughtfully, before shrugging.

 **"well, the more the merrier, i always say. actually, i never say that. heh,"**  He sighed. **"whatever. i'm sans - sans the skeleton."**

* * *

 As they ducked behind the Convenient Lamp - Harry forced to crouch behind his sister - Frisk had to keep one hand over his mouth to keep the younger from laughing aloud at Sans and Papyrus' antics.  "You are such a dork, you know that?" Frisk muttered in exasperation, wiping her palm on Harry's jumper.

While amused by the harmless bantering, Frisk remained a bit wary about the two skeletons. Despite the obvious proof Papyrus was a harmless man-child, the taller skeleton still had the potential to be dangerous; the desire for popularity could drive good men and woman into a helluva lot of trouble. Frisk knew this first hand. 

Not only that, but something about the shorter brother -  Sans - spooked her. With his dark eyes and grimace-like smile, Sans seemed more like a war hero than a comedian.  ** _Smiley trashbag,_** a familiar voice muttered darkly in her Soul.

Frisk blinked in surprise, but otherwise didn't let it show. Ever since landing in the RUINS, Chara had been a near-constant companion; not unlike Harry, who was a constant source of assurance and support. Although, the boy could be a bit odd sometimes.

Chara sympathized with Frisk, saying that she once had an obnoxious little brother too. 

Chara and Frisk had a lot in common, the eldest Potter twin realized; but something about Chara's past seemed...off. 

Frisk was curious about Chara's memories of the monster world, but knew better than to pry. Last time Frisk had tried digging deeper   - looking for reassurance after the Flowey encounter - she...lost control. It wasn't pleasant to be honest, and that was when the first seed of doubt had been planted. 

Frisk lost track of herself, and she couldn't help the pang in her chest as she re-emerged to Harry's bewildered expression and fearful glances. Perhaps, if she acted normal, he would forget all about it.  Harry didn't really need to know of Frisk's demons. He had enough of his own to deal with. 

* * *

"We're gonna die, we're gonna die," Harry mantra-ed, dodging the falling icicles and swearing vibrantly beneath his breath. Ice Cap bounced excitedly (the smug, pompous bastard) across from him, fixing it's hat imperiously. 

"Just think positively, Driad," Frisk advised with forced cheerfulness as Ice Cap's turn ended, and the twins ignored it's vies for attention. "At least we haven't died yet, eh?"

Harry was not comforted, and felt vindicated as an icicle erupted from the ground and nearly speared Frisk through. She dodged it in time, but a shard still skimmed the edge of her Soul, knocking off a few **HP** points. In a fit of irrational anger, the girl stole Ice Cap's hat. Harry was absolutely appalled at her behavior.

The triangular hat melted in her hands, and 'Ice Cap' was no more. "So....C- cold...."  Ice shivered, the edges of it's cube dripping pitifully.  

Harry felt bad for it. "You look very...erm... _ice_ in three dimensions," he tried to reassure. "Get it?"

Ice sniffled, and checked it's reflection in a pool of water. "Hat's are for posers, anyways," the ice cube agreed, and Harry tentatively patted it's...erm...face. 

Frisk rolled her eyes, hand hovering over the SPARE button. "Goody-two-shoes," she muttered as the black screen disappeared. The adrenaline pumping through her veins kept Frisk warm in the sudden cold, and she busied herself with inspecting the nearby wooden box.  

 _(This is a box,)_ the sign read. ( _Y_ _ou can put an item inside or take an item out. The same box will appear later, so don't worry about coming back. Sincerely, a box lover.)_

"Useful," Harry commented, rolling the Monster Candies out of his pocket. Frisk made a noise of agreement and shifted through the box. A triumphant grin stretched across her face as she pulled out _'a worn pink leather glove for five fingered folk.'_

"Klepto," Harry admonished, frowning. 

Frisk snorted. "You're just jealous that  _I_ found the nice warm glove before you." Frisk tugged on the glove, liking the stretch and versatility of it. Good for left hooks, she deduced.

"Leather isn't quite warm enough for _this_ weather," Harry said dryly, shivering lightly. After a moment of indecision, Harry pulled at the sleeves and tucked his arms into the sweater. He hugged himself tightly and thrummed his fingers against the limp t-shirt beneath. "Anyways, I thought you hated pink." 

Frisk smirked at him. "My dislike is circumstantial," 

"Ooh, big words, sister dear," Harry teased. "Behind all that aplomb and satire, are you secretly a dictionary-eater?" 

Frisk couldn't help but be a bit insulted. "Speak for yourself, nerd,"

"Felon," Harry shot back as they continued east. 

"Pillock."

"Impudent brat." 

"Thrice-damned tosser."

"Watch your - oh no," Harry sighed, hearing the boisterous shouts of Papyrus. 

While the skeletons were still distracted, Frisk followed her urge to duck behind a tree. Harry crossed his arms, looking unimpressed. "Is there another way around?" Frisk begged her brother, eyes pleading. Harry shook his head and stepped forward in resignation. 

 ** _How is_ he  _suddenly the determined one?_** Chara asked dryly. 

"SO, AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT UNDYNE," Papyrus continued, before Harry's movement caught his eye. His empty eye-sockets widened in shock, mouth opening in a silent 'o'. Looking to his brother in surprise, the two skeletons turned their backs  -  ** _probably not their smartest move,_** Chara sniggered to herself - and spoke in hushed whispers. "SANS! OH MY GOD! IS THAT...A HUMAN?" 

The two brothers glanced back, their gaze going past Harry's figure and...straight to a snow-covered rock. Frisk, still hiding in the trees, made a disbelieving noise. 

Sans coughed. " **uhhhh...actually, i think that's a rock."**  Papyrus seemed disappointed, and Sans gave a long sigh before pitching his voice in fake excitement.  **"but, hey, what's that in front of the rock?"**

Papyrus fixed his eyes on Harry, who lifted a hand in polite greeting. "OH MY GOD!" the skeleton screamed, making Harry flinch back. "(IS THAT A HUMAN?)" Papyrus asked his brother for confirmation. Sans gave him a dead-pan look. 

**"(yes.)"**

"OH MY GOD! SANS!" Papyrus repeatedly slapped the smaller skeleton's arm in excitement. "I FINALLY DID IT! UNDYNE WILL...I'M GONNA...I'LL BE SO..." Papyrus looked a little tipsy and out-of-breath, before he threw his hands in the air. "POPULAR! POPULAR! POPULAR!" 

Harry awkwardly shifted, and the skeleton blinked in remembrance. "OH...'AHEM'. HUMAN! YOU SHALL NOT PASS THIS AREA!" Papyrus declared, gesticulating towards the ground beneath his boots. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU! I WILL THEN CAPTURE YOU AND YOU WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE CAPITAL! THEN! THEN..." he trailed off. 

"I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S NEXT," the skeleton admitted, lowering his arms. "IN ANY CASE - CONTINUE! _...BUT ONLY IF YOU DARE,"_ he ended ominously, before twirling out with a high-pitched; "NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!" 

There was a long pause.

 **"well, that went well."**  Sans said cheerfully. **"** **um, not to change the subject,** **but...weren't there two of you?"**

Harry grimaced and sent a glance backwards. Frisk shook her head furiously, hiding behind the tree trunk. "Erm, yes," Harry said unsurely, his accent lilting. "Frisk just had too...um...see a man about a horse." Harry immediately winced at the human idiom, doubting the monster would comprehend. 

Sans just blinked, a smirk rising on his lips.  **"huh. let's just _hay_  that i've  _neigh_ ver  _herd_ that one before," **he snickered, and Harry gave a relieved grin. The skeleton put his hands in his jacket pockets and turned on his heel. " **don't sweat it, kid,"**  Sans said, winking over his shoulder. Harry couldn't help his blush.

**"i'll keep an eye-socket out for you two."**

* * *

 "YOU'RE SO LAZY! YOU WERE NAPPING ALL NIGHT!" Papyrus shouted, startling Harry into dropping the Snowman Piece. 

"Clumsy," Frisk muttered, staring impassively as the clump of snow quickly melted. Harry pouted in disappointed, but kept quiet as they peered across the large square of ice. 

 **"i, uh, think that's called sleeping,"** Sans said, shifting his gaze to the two Potter twins. 

Papyrus scoffed. "EXCUSES, EXCUSES!" he followed his brother's gaze. "OH-HO! THE....WHAT?"

Frisk and Harry shared a look. 

"SANS, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THERE WERE _TWO_ HUMANS! I AM GROSSLY UNPREPARED FOR A DOUBLE CAPTURE!" He said nervously, wringing his phalanges. "THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH ROOM IN THE SHED FOR ONE APPREHENDED HUMAN!" 

Loosing her courage, Frisk fled behind another tree, a look of extreme vexation on her face.

"And she accuses  _me_ of being a wimp," Harry murmured in exasperation. He wasn't sure why his sister was so uneasy with the two skeletons; compared to the giant snow-flake with legs or the homicidal flower, the skele-bros were really quite tame.

Papyrus glanced back, surprised to find only one sulking human. 

"WHA-?" the skeleton broke off in confusion. Sans looked equally perplexed. "WELL...NEVERMIND THEN," Papyrus finished lamely, before drawing himself up.

"AHEM. HUMAN!" He called out confidently. "IN ORDER TO STOP YOU, MY BROTHER AND I HAVE CREATED SOME PUZZLES! I THINK YOU WILL FIND THIS ONE............." There was a long, over-dramatic pause. Harry looked at Sans in confusion, and the skeleton lifted a single phalanges, telling him to wait.

"QUITE _SHOCKING!_ " Papyrus finished, looking proud of himself. "FOR YOU SEE, THIS IS THE INVISIBLE _ELECTRICITY MAZE!_   WHEN YOU TOUCH THE WALLS OF THIS MAZE, THIS ORB WILL ADMINISTER A HEARTY ZAP! SOUND LIKE FUN?" 

Harry opened his mouth to say - _'um, no, humans are made up of 60% water, and if an electrical current were to pass through our bodies, it would be an_ extremely _unpleasant experience'_ \- but he was quickly interrupted. 

"ACTUALLY," Papyrus reconsidered. "THE AMOUNT OF FUN YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE IS ACTUALLY RATHER SMALL, I THINK."

Harry agreed, and - behind the tree - Chara worked hard trying to extinguish Frisk's urge to grab Harry and run from the _'crazy, moronic and utterly insane skeleton monster that was trying to torture her little brother.'_

"OKAY, YOU CAN GO NOW," Papyrus finished, seeming a bit lost in his thoughts.  

Sparing the skeleton a wary look, Harry took a tentative step forward. With a sharp sizzling sound, Papyrus jumped a foot in the air, sparks of yellow outlining his darkened figure. Harry looked horrified, tears springing in his eyes as the scent of smoke and sulfur reached him. 

 _ **Ah, the scent of burnt marrow and cartilage,**_ Chara thought wistfully, her voice echoing eerily. Frisk, for not the first time since sensing Chara's presence, was struck with a foreign and sick fascination for death and carnage.

As Papyrus shook off the ash and began ranting at his brother, Chara made a snide comment.  ** _The idiot deserved everything he got. Too bad it wasn't permanent._**

 _Stop thinking like that!_ Frisk told Chara, channeling her inner Harry.  _He could've been seriously hurt!_

Chara seemed to snort at her. _**Calm down, the skeleton's fine. And I**_ _ **thought you didn't like him, anyways.**_

Frisk bit her lip, silently admitting her folly. "I guess he's not  _that_ bad," Frisk muttered to herself as the skeleton foolishly made a clear path in the snow for Harry to follow. _A bit dull, yes, but -_

 ** _Dull?_**   Chara said in disbelief. **_F_** ** _risk, you said it yourself. He's a complete moron..._ but _, he's also bat-shit crazy, and that makes him_   _dangerous._ _He could easily kill your brother with a voltage that high! Just watch!_**

Harry looked completely terrified as he carefully followed the trail of footsteps, holding the orb at arms-length. Seeing the fear in his eyes, Frisk hesitated, and Chara seemed to bolster courage.  ** _The world should be purged of monsters like him and his brother,_ ** she whispered enticingly.  _ **Purged of ALL monsters.**_

 _What about Toriel?_ Frisk tried to ask, thinking back to the kindly old goat lady. _And the other monsters weren't so bad..._

Almost immediately, Chara sent her images, reminders of burning flames, razor-sharp icicles, flying pellets, and crimson blood. **_T_** ** _hey attacked you first,_** was Chara's accompanying message, and Frisk swallowed harshly. 

 **_Come now, Frisk. I_ _f_** **_you didn't agree with me, you wouldn't be hiding like a coward from a skeleton with no more brains than the bugs you used to crush between your fingertips._ **

**_Just bide your time, partner._** Chara'sympathized voice began to fade. **_Harry_ _will thank you for it later, when his 'kindness' gets him speared by a dozen flying bones._**

Frisk was horrified by the imagery. 

She was about to give a shaky response when Harry called out for her. On trembling limbs, Frisk mustered her determination and peeked out. She made a face upon seeing the smiley trashbag, lingering behind with an easy grin ( _ **grimace,**_ Chara reminded). 

Harry was wearing a slight blush, which Frisk immediately wanted to tease him for. At Chara's clear disdain arising at that thought, Frisk pushed the urge away.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked, handing Papyrus' orb to the short (but still taller than Harry) skeleton.

Unnoticed to the two siblings, a faint blue light surrounded it, dulling the orb's affects. As Frisk quickly veered around the ice patch, Sans' so-called 'lips' twitched downward.  **"it's no fun if _she_ gets to cheat," ** he told Harry. Frisk, within earshot, gave Sans a sharp look.

"Are you going to try and stop me?" she asked, sounding a bit on-edge. 

Sans lifted a brow - or, somehow made the bone above his eye-socket scrunch- and gave a lazy shrug.  **"not really. takes to much work,"** he admitted, scratching at his sinuses. Harry blinked at the skeleton in amusement. 

 _"Anyways,"_ Harry pressed, grabbing Frisk's sleeve. "We'll be off. See you later, Sans,"

Sans gave a negligent wave, startled to find his eyes momentarily leading down to where the boy human's soaked trousers gripped tightly. _Very_ tightly. The kid was practically skin and bones, but Sans found himself oddly...intrigued. Well. He _was_ a skeleton. 

 **"ohmygod,"** Sans muttered once the twins were out of eye shot.  **"what is he, ten? i can't...no. nope. nope."** With a flash of light, Sans shortcutted the hell out of there, internally screaming admonishments and reasons not to stalk the adorable ten-year-old child.  

Within a few minutes, he had already reappeared outside of the Snowball Game, having lost the battle with his common sense. **"well, I'm fu - _fudged,"_** he quickly revised as Harry and Frisk approached him. He coughed awkwardly into his metacarpal.

 **"i mean, uh, i've been thinking of selling treats too. want some...uh...fudge-covered snow cones? it's just 5G."** Harry's eyes lit up, and Sans couldn't help but feel a bit bad. 

 **"what? you don't have the money?"** Harry pouted after a moment.  **"that's okay. i don't have any snow."**

Chara, at the back of Frisk's mind, sniffed lightly as Harry sulked away. _**Y**_ _ **ou probably don't want 'fudge-covered snow' anyways.**_

Frisk, for once, had to agree. 


End file.
